Japanese gamers apparently face arrest if they lend their games to friends – police recently executed a search warrant based on the unauthorised lending of 5 games, charging the lender with copyright infringement.

Police raided a Kobe hotel after discovering they had freely provided Wii and PS3 consoles and games to guests, confiscating games and consoles as evidence.

The hotel, “Swing,” is accused of lending the games to at least 5 customers during 2010. In an unusual application of copyright law, police are charging the hotel with copyright violation, specifically the “screening” the games to guests without permission from the copyright holder.

Police are also investigating whether they were secretly operating a love hotel, another very serious crime.

Commercial game rental itself is illegal in Japan, but as freely lending a game to another party may constitute “unauthorised display,” gamers are also wondering if they face arrest for merely lending games to each other.

In particular, this rather draconian interpretation of the law suggests that virtually the entirety of Japan’s manga cafe industry is in fact illegal, as they likely do not seek permission from every copyright holder of the products they lend to customers on their premises.

"John, remember that game you borrowed from me last Friday? Well, I'm gonna have to ask it back before the cops come. I'm SRS, John! and no I don't care if you haven't reached the perfect ending yet. I want it bac-"*door breaks down*

Its actually normal. While it might be fine to borrow a friend a game if your a company you run a business and that would be a same as renting out games which must be done through rental copies not retial.

Its the same practically everywhere in the world, dont mix business laws with non business laws, they arent the same.

maybe not, but they would follow and exceed ishiharas example at the slightest provocation
assumptions about countries i dont know much about aside...

clearly governments incited by companies around the world are trying to usher a new age of feudalism with governments as kings and companies as aristocracy
and aristocracy is always one breath from overthrowing the king

Commercials and online ads could get you arrested. You're sitting at your computer enjoying the preview screenshots of a new eroge when suddenly BAM the police break in and arrest you for enjoying the games copywritten material without paying for itl

"Commercial game rental itself is illegal in Japan, but as freely lending a game to another party may constitute “unauthorised display,” gamers are also wondering if they face arrest for merely lending games to each other."

whats wrong with sharing games between friends?

How can Japan call itself a democracy when it continues to act like an Oligarchy?

Getting arrested for lending games? Are you fucking kidding me? That is the most retarded thing I've ever heard. The guy who made this law definitely had a dick up his asshole or something, because this is really GAY!!!

Lol, Japan's becoming dumb with its copyright laws.
If there is no financial gain per-se, it shouldn't be considered illegal.
Wow, in my kid days, I wonder what mine and my friends' time in prison would have been with this law. We've lent each other our old atari/nes/snes/gb games for ages!
TBH, if I really like a game, I'll buy it. if not, I'm $50 bucks richer per game I find blah! :P